765 students, 120 zip codes: Breaking down the Upper Division’s geographic diversity

Hannah Becker and Anya Mirza Staff Writers

Every morning, students in the Upper Division (UD) make their way to school from 120 zip codes across four boroughs and three states. Where a student lives can impact their social lives, transportation, and relationship to the city around them.

Many students have friend groups consisting mainly of people who live near them. Sophie Teitelbaum (9) has lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan her whole life, near over 300 UD students and many of her close friends, she said. Her location has significantly influenced her social life, as it becomes more convenient to be friends with people who live close by. “[My friends and I] are able to make last-minute plans and hang out more often, whether it is going to walk around Central Park or grab a quick din ner,” Teitelbaum said.

In contrast, Madeline Ment (10), who lives in Harlem, does not live near many of her friends. Most of her friends live south of her in other Manhattan neighborhoods like the Upper East or West Side, which host eight of the ten most common zip codes among UD students. “So metimes I wish that I [lived closer to them] so I could just walk over to someone’s house,” she said. However, since public transportation is efficient and accessible in the city, her loca considerable effect up in Fort a unique munity of her commu nity by joi ning groups such as the Youth Coun cil of Fort Lee (YCFL), which to organize events in hborhood like color draisers. “A lot of Fort Lee of Korean businesses like restaurants and stores, so being able to enter an establishment and speak my language makes me feel so much more connected to the community,” Kim said.

However, Kim’s location does pose some dis advantages, she said. “The distance is definitely difficult, as there is a physical bridge between me and most of my school friends,” Kim said. “It can be challenging to see them as it requires a lot of planning, but I am lucky to also live near most of my out-of-school friends in New Jersey.”

Since only 16 students live in the same zip code area as the school, transportation to and from school plays a significant role in people’s daily lives, whether that entails a 30-minute bus ride or an hour-and-a-half-long subway commute.

In addition to separating her from her friends, living in New Jersey has affected Kim’s commute to school. She typically spends over an hour on the bus each morning getting through heavy traffic on the George Washington Bridge, which occasio nally results in Kim arriving late to her A period US History class.

For the past two years, Ment has taken the one train from her home in West Harlem to Van Cortlandt Park, which is the last stop on the line. While Ment frequently encounters other students on her journey, most of them board the train before her stop, she said.

On the other hand, Amaris ving to school in the highest gear to save petrol and carpooling with other students.

In the fall of 2008, under Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly’s direction, the school changed its mailing address from Riverdale to the Bronx. “Driving this directive was the increasingly visible role HM was playing in the Bronx through the CCVA and as a result of allowing outside agencies to use our facilities,” Kelly wrote. “We were clearly growing to be known as a visible and important neighbor and partner in the greater Bronx, not just the Riverdale section of the Bronx. We‘re proud to be a top-tier independent day school living and breathing in the Bronx.”

TOP 15 ZIP CODES:

short journey to school. She takes the bus a few stops and walks a minutes from the bus stop to school. “It’s an easy commute; it only takes me 15 mi-

During the pandemic, Story Sossen’s (10) family purchased a second home in Riverdale upon realizing they enjoyed having a more spacious living space and being around nature, she said. Sossen’s family has also kept their apartment in Manhattan, where they stay each weekend, to be near friends and

Moving to Riverdale has allowed Sossen to save time which would otherwise be spent on her commute. “As a three-season athlete, being able to walk home from practice and get started on my work right away saves me about an hour-long bus ride and also helps me get more sleep,” Sossen said. Some students find that on data the 2023 school tory, the UD, dents, Bronx. nally, tell live in they towith a cally gative

Scarsdale, tries to minimize costs as Cot trell’s pa rents only cover half of his gas fees and he has to pay for the rest, he said. He does this by apart from the wider Bronx commuby saying that they live in Riverdale, not the Bronx. “I think this is because there’s this association with the Bronx, where it’s seen as the poorest borough,” she said. “I’ve had a bit of a culture shock.”

Gabrielle McLain (10) resides in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, which is an affluent area, she said. Because Upper Saddle is a primarily residential area, it is relatively unheard of, which prevents stereotyping, McLain said. “The only other thing in our town is a gas station.”

As such, McLain feels comfortable telling others where she lives because her peers’ unfamiliarity with her neighborhood typically means they don’t have negative views, she said.

Only 7.5% of the student body lives in New Jersey, while 90.5% live in New York, which Kim found unsurprising. Kim noticed that many students from the school reside in New York City and often view it as superior to New Jersey, as there are more activities to do and also many more restaurants. “I completely understand that and do enjoy going to the city a lot, but I also value having a separate school and home life and not always being surrounded by the same people,” Kim said.